Feeding the Birds at Midnight
by Yukari Rin
Summary: An ordinary summer night in Italy becomes something more, something otherwise unexperienced. HIbariChrome with Hibird.


**Title:** "Feeding the Birds at Midnight"

**Fandom:** _Kateyou Hitman Reborn!_

**Character(s)/Pairing(s):** Hibari/Chrome 1896, Hibird

**Prompt:** Hibari, Chrome, 5 years later, feeding the birds in Italy at Trevi Fountain

**Rating:** K+

**Word Count:** 641

**Notes/Spoilers: **A few months ago I decided I wanted to start writing for the KHR fandom and asked Yuurei-san to give me a few prompts to get me started. So this one's for her!

**Disclaimer:** _Katekyou Hitman Reborn!_ and related properties belong to Akira Amano and related parties.

**"Feeding the Birds at Midnight"**

It was a warm summer night with a slight breeze that was just enough to be refreshing without producing a chill. Walking weather. And so Chrome had left the hotel to wander the historical city. Music drifted from open bistros, the notes holding longer in a subtle attempt to signal closing time was approaching and diners should finish the last drops of wine in their glasses.

She purchased a gelato from a shop as it was closing and headed in the direction of the city that she had not been able to explore earlier. To any other pedestrians she was no more than a single woman walk along, the streetlamps shadowed her face and she ducked her head whenever someone was close enough to catch sight of her eyepatch. The stares she received were less frequent here, outside of Japan, but a lone girl at night with an eyepatch might raise some questions, especially if her ties with the mafia were discovered.

She wandered for hours, late into the night even for Italians. And it was because of that that she found him. Rather, it was a familiar song being sung by a bird that led her to him.

The cascading water grew louder as she approached. It took her a moment to see him in the darkness, his standard black suit becoming a perfect camouflage for late night. Chrome whistled a few notes to the song, catching both the bird and its owner's attention. Hibird flew over to her, chirping happily. She rubbed the soft golden-yellow feathers on the bird's head as she approached Hibari. His narrow eyes followed her warily as her boots thumped on the paving stones.

"I didn't know you were also in the country, Hibari-san," she began.

He shrugged. "I didn't tell anyone."

"Except for Tsuna-san?" she asked with a smile.

The edges of his mouth turned downwards into a frown. "No. Kusakabe passed along the information for me."

Chrome nodded to herself. It wasn't unusual behavior for him after all. "Enjoying an uncrowded evening out?" Hibird was singing again, circling in a figure-eight around the two Vongola guardians. Tired from her exploring she walked to the edge of the fountain.

Hibari didn't reply for a moment. "Hibird wanted to come out earlier to play with the other birds, but aside from all the herbivores the likelihood that the large birds wouldn't take well to Hibird was there and I didn't see the point in risking her safety."

"She wanted to play with the other birds?"

He nodded. "The tourists would throw bread crumbs. Hibird thought it looked like fun."

Chrome smiled and set down her nearly finished ice cream. She closed her eyes and imagined that it was no longer night, but a gloriously warm and sun-shiny day. There were birds of several species flying in the sky near the fountain and pecking at the ground, calling to their friends to join them. Instead of the gelato at her side there was a loaf of fresh Italian bread. She stood up and walked over to Hibari. "Here," she offered shyly, though not as shyly as she once would have. "As much as she sings to them, the other birds are sleeping. This way Hibird can have fun and you don't have to concern yourself with the other birds and people."

He looked from her face to the illusion-turned-real bread. "Thank you, Dokuro Chrome," he said slowly, his long and elegant (but more often than not, violent) fingers breaking into the crust and tossing the crumb to the ground. Hibird and her avian friends fluttered around the two humans, cawing for more to be shared. Hibird twittered with clear delight, and as she snuck glances at the silent Cloud Guardian, Chrome could have sworn there was a smile almost visible on his lips.


End file.
